Does anyone know when NYCB will post its schedule for spring 2010? The news release last August listed many premieres and said there would be several Balanchine and Robbins ballets -- but nothing was named and the schedule is nowhere to be found on the NYCB web site.

Over at the Lincoln Center site, it says the 2010 schedule will be available January 1, 2010, but that hasn't happened.

I'm looking to visit NYC in May or June to take in both NYCB and ABT. ABT's schedule has been available for a long time.

Last year, the first notice of the Spring season appeared on this board (probably within moments of its appearance on NYCBallet.com) toward the end of January, as you can see here. It's probably safe to assume the first announcement of Spring 2010 will come at about the same time. I hope that still leaves you enough time to plan your trip, and I hope that those things you most want to see at each company coincide nicely, but not on the same nights.

"Alexei RatmanskyHis dance card is full! Along with a premiere for New York City Ballet (May 5, 8, 9 and 12), Ratmansky will choreograph a new Nutcracker for American Ballet Theatre, where he is artist in residence, to premiere at BAM (Dec 23)."

Any idea where this was announced? The spring 2010 schedule isn't available yet at the NYCB or Lincoln Center site - or is it? What appears to be the most recent press release (from last August) doesn't include any dates of specific performances either:http://www.nycballet...pr08-12-09.html

I wouldn't be surprised if the press have been given dates for the new ballets. I'm sure the company wants the Times and other publications to write up the premieres. I doubt a well-known and well-connected dance writer like Kourlas would have published that unless she had reliable information.

A lot of businesses will give the media information about new products, etc. so editors can plan future issues/editions; the release of the information is embargoed until a certain date. (I have no idea if ballet companies do this, I'm just speaking about PR in general.)

I'm not finding the spring schedule anywhere on the NYCB site. Have subscribers been told anything, perhaps by e-mail, U.S. Mail, or a restricted portion of the web site?

I'm a subscriber but haven't received anything by snail mail or email.Nor is the spring season ticket info on the website.My guess is that subscriber info might arrive in the next week or so. I seem to recall renewing my subscription(each year) before the end of that particular season.

does the scheduling look odd to anyone else? perhaps its because there are so many new ballets which are unknown quantities, but the combinations seem very strange.

Mixing a new piece with some tried-and-true favorites makes it less risky, so perhaps that is their rationale.

What I like about the schedule is that an out-of-town visitor can see a lot of different ballets in 4-6 days, so it's attractive from that viewpoint. It's more difficult to see several different programs at ABT during a short visit from long distances.

I'm curious to see what NYCB schedules for Saratoga in July. I'm guessing they will stay with the two-week season again due to the tough economy. Does anybody know when that schedule is typically posted?

does the scheduling look odd to anyone else? perhaps its because there are so many new ballets which are unknown quantities, but the combinations seem very strange.

Mixing a new piece with some tried-and-true favorites makes it less risky, so perhaps that is their rationale.

What I like about the schedule is that an out-of-town visitor can see a lot of different ballets in 4-6 days, so it's attractive from that viewpoint. It's more difficult to see several different programs at ABT during a short visit from long distances.

I'm curious to see what NYCB schedules for Saratoga in July. I'm guessing they will stay with the two-week season again due to the tough economy. Does anybody know when that schedule is typically posted?

I seem to recall getting a special offer to be a SPAC subscriber every year in late March or April. For the past few years I have gone up to Saratoga, but I buy individual NYCB tickets. These tickets are offered at least a month later thanthe subscriber offer (May, maybe?).

The complete Spring schedule seems to be up, with many -- too many this time -- tempting combinations to fly to New York to see. I don't remember "Dances Concertantes" -- originally done in the late 1940s, re-choreographed in 1972 and central pas revised in 1975. What it like? It's scheduled with Brahms-Schoenberg on one program along a new Wheeldon.

I think I've seen Danses Concertantes only twice, and I am foggy on the specifics, but I do remember being mildly disappointed both times, expectations exceeding what I saw. Will that stop me for going back? Not likely.

The heart of the ballet is a series of pas de trois and a pas de deux. Darci Kistler danced the female lead, and I noticed that an excerpt of the ballet is scheduled for her farewell performance. It's a wild guess that she'll be doing all the DC's this spring. That may stop me from going back -- at least until we get a new cast.

Don't forget that the last four Sundays are farewell performances. If you want a last chance to see Ms. Kistler or Borree or Mr. Neal or Evans, you might want to schedule around that.

To my eye -- and taste -- the best weekends are early in the season, but the more adventurous -- the premieres of new ballets -- come later.

It's also worth taking a look at ABT's schedule if you're at all interested in what will be going on across the plaza during the overlap weeks.